Clarence daughter in 30s jailed in Supreme Court for stabbing murder of mum in her 60s at Lismore in August 2020
A Clarence woman who murdered her mum after sharing a cuppa with her in Lismore has been jailed for more than 16 years. The daughter uttered “she can’t hurt me anymore” following the “chilling” slaying. Warning: Graphic
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A Clarence woman who savagely stabbed her mother to death after sharing a cuppa with her in Lismore has been sentenced in the Supreme Court to 16 years and six months behind bars.
The woman in her 30s stabbed her mum in her 60s in the throat after driving over 100 km to see her in August 2020 – after she suffered an abusive childhood.
She was desperate to find out the identity of her biological dad, the Supreme Court at Lismore heard.
The daughter told friends the day before: “I’m struggling with my own head.”
“My own voices, thoughts, and trying to work out pretty much who the f — k I am,” she said according to court documents.
The woman pleaded guilty to murder on August 4, 2023.
She suffered acute mental health issues and came from a deprived and disadvantaged background, the court heard.
But she said earlier in proceedings pleading guilty was the “responsible” thing to do.
The daughter lived with “entrenched borderline personality disorder” and suffered “psychogenic amnesia” memory dysfunction surrounding the slaying.
Last Tuesday at Lismore Courthouse, Justice Richard Weinstein said the offending in the “sad” and “chilling” case could not be “obliterated”.
Come sentencing on Thursday, Justice Weinstein said: “Matricide is shocking and calamitous for the family of the victim and the community.”
In a letter to the court, the daughter said she knew her family may never forgive her.
Justice Weinstein said the woman “will forever be haunted by her actions”.
The daughter sobbed and dabbed at her face with tissues as she was jailed for 16 years and six months, backdated from August 27, 2020.
She will be eligible for parole on August 26, 2031.
The court was told a neighbour entered through an open back door and found the mum dead in her bedroom.
The man felt the woman’s stomach was cold and knew she was dead. He rang triple-0.
He told police there was “blood everywhere” and the “pillow beside her was red”.
Police state she was found lying with an index finger pointing to a large cut across her neck.
A bloodstained kitchen knife from the home had been placed on the inside cover of a book on a bedside table.
Police found the daughter’s DNA throughout the home. and on discarded items like cigarette butts.
The mum used heroin while pregnant, engaged in sex work and had a history of mental illness and substance abuse problems.
She often left the daughter without food for as a child and tried to suffocate her as a baby, causing authorities to become involved, the court was told.
The daughter told psychologists she consistently witnessed and suffered domestic and sexual violence at the hands of her mother and others. It was heard the mum offered the daughter up to men to feed addiction.
The daughter remained with her mum up until she was 12, then stayed with an aunt and uncle who moved overseas for a time.
Taken in by sex workers, the daughter saved for a year before affording a flight home to Australia.
She had a series of failed relationships, lost custody of her own children and was at one stage hospitalised for poor mental health.
The daughter called her psychologist in distress days before the murder – telling him she had not slept for three days and was hearing voices. Medication had failed to help.
Psychologists agreed with defence barrister Jason Watts the woman suffered symptoms of disassociation from the personality disorder
She also lived with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exacerbated by ingestion of illicit substances around the time of the killing.
Shortly after her arrest, AB was overheard saying: “I did something bad that made me feel good.”
“I think I am going to jail for a long time. I’ve killed my mother – she can’t hurt me anymore.”
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Originally published as Clarence daughter in 30s jailed in Supreme Court for stabbing murder of mum in her 60s at Lismore in August 2020
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